Alain Pinel’s expansion into San Francisco and North Bay includes addition of real estate veteran Tim Murray as regional executive and retention of owners Joseph Gartland Moore and David Papale.April 9, 2007 – San Francisco, Calif. – Two of Northern California’s most venerated real estate firms recently joined forces, announced Alain Pinel Realtors (APR) President and Chief Operating Officer Larry Knapp, with Alain Pinel Realtors acquiring the assets and limited liabilities of San Francisco-based Ritchie Hallanan Real Estate Ltd. At the same time, it appointed Timothy Murray, a 29-year real estate veteran and former President of Pacific Union Real Estate, as Vice President and Regional Manager for San Francisco and the North Bay.The union gives Alain Pinel Realtors an immediate and long sought-after, major presence in San Francisco by association with a San Francisco boutique realty firm that has important ties to the city. The deal comes with a bonus, too. Ritchie Hallanan’s St. Helena office is part of the acquisition, thus giving Alain Pinel Realtors direct access to the lucrative real estate markets in the North Bay. The addition of Tim Murray will help APR implement a strategic plan to compete and win business in new areas.Joseph Gartland Moore and David Papale, Richie Hallanan’s owners, were each named Director of Agent Development for Alain Pinel Realtors new San Francisco office; they are life-long friends having met in the third grade. In addition to operating as real estate sales professionals, they will be responsible for agent training, mentoring and recruiting.“The real accomplishment today is in bringing together three great entities in Ritchie Hallanan, Tim Murray and Alain Pinel Realtors, while retaining Joseph Moore and David Papale as part of the management and production team. Their respective ties and deep roots in the city, combined with our regional coverage, financial resources and family-owned operating style gives us the presence in San Francisco and the North Bay we’ve been looking for,” said Mr. Knapp.Monetary terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. The two Ritchie Hallanan offices will now operate as Alain Pinel Realtors said Mr. Knapp.With the expansion, Alain Pinel Realtors now has 25 offices in eight Northern California counties and over 1,200 real estate agents. Alain Pinel Realtors, a family-owned business, is consistently ranked in the top 10 realty firms nationwide by RealTrends, a Colorado trade organization.Messrs. Moore and Papale are both third generation San Franciscans and became co-managing principals of Ritchie Hallanan, when they founded the firm in 1993. They named and built the business around two of the City's "Legendary" real estate professionals, Sue Ritchie & Doris Hallanan, who worked as partners since 1984. Mrs. Ritchie and Mrs. Hallanan have remained associated with the company since its formation.Ritchie Hallanan has 22 real estate agents in San Francisco and six in St. Helena, with both offices specializing in high-end and luxury-class real estate – the same primary niche enjoyed by Alain Pinel Realtors since it’s inception in 1990. In March of 2006 Ritchie Hallanan moved the company to its present location at 3701 Buchanan Street in the Marina District. The charming, two-story building is approximately 5,000 square feet and can comfortably seat 45 real estate agents. Ironically, the building was the original location of Pacific Union Real Estate. In St. Helena , the firm occupies approximately 1,200 square feet in the downtown business district. Situated in the heart of Napa Valley’s wine region, APR plans to increase its presence among affluent home buyers and sellers in the region.In a joint statement, Messrs. Papale and Moore said they wanted to take a proactive approach to growing in both locations, so they sought a relationship with a firm that is highly regarded by real estate professionals and the general public.“Alain Pinel Realtors’ reputation for running local offices with some degree of autonomy was appealing to us. In addition, we should be able to capture more referral business between the Peninsula and San Francisco,” they said. With six offices in San Mateo County, Alain Pinel is one of the most competitive real estate firms on the Peninsula.Tim Murray called the merged companies an ideal match. “I have known Larry Knapp for the better part of 20 years and always respected him as a competitor. I am very excited to be working for a locally-owned company with a great brand, and to have Joseph and David on the team. We will be able to carry on the strong traditions of a San Francisco professional services firm and grow in the North Bay.”Author and real estate broker Ray Brown noted the caliber of the people united by the business transfer and benefit to the public: “When great minds come together, problem solving becomes that much better, and this is a problem-solving business. The public benefits by having a stronger company in San Francisco and the North Bay, with more choices in terms of the professionals they hire to help them buy or sell real estate. Putting Ritchie Hallanan and Alain Pinel Realtors together is a case of one-plus-one equals three,” he said. Brown was the 16-year host of “Ray Brown on Real Estate,” which aired on KNBR, and is co-author of the books Home Buying for Dummies, House Selling for Dummies and Mortgages for Dummies. He started as a real estate agent in 1974.About Alain Pinel RealtorsFounded by Paul Hulme in 1990, Alain Pinel Realtors has redefined the business of residential real estate and now has 25 prestigious and luxurious offices in Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, Napa, Monterey and Santa Cruz counties. Alain Pinel is one of the largest real estate firms nationally with 2006 sales volume of $6.71 billion and an average sales price per transaction side of $1.14 million. Alain Pinel Realtors is a founding member of Luxury Portfolio, an operating unit of The Leading Real Estate Companies of the World (formerly RELO). APR has a joint venture partnership in the mortgage lending institution, Private Mortgage Advisors, which is an affiliate of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. For a complete listing of Alain Pinel Realtors offices, services and agents, please visit our website at apr.com or call 408-741-1111.